Workpiece carrier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12246922-B2
Application number	US-202318135862-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2023
Priority date	Apr 25, 2022
Publication date	Mar 11, 2025
Grant date	Mar 11, 2025

Abstract

A workpiece carrier for transporting a workpiece or a product in a conveyer system having at least one workpiece base provided for accommodating at least one workpiece, the workpiece base including a receiving surface on which a workpiece is mountable and the workpiece base further including a base surface disposed in a distance from the receiving surface. The workpiece carrier further has at least one contact element which, in the operation of the workpiece carrier, is provided to rest on a conveyer element of a conveyer system including a contact surface, the contact element being connected to the base surface of the workpiece base, a first moving direction along which the workpiece carrier is movable in a conveyer system being provided for the workpiece carrier, and a positioning plane being defined which is oriented perpendicular to the contact surface and perpendicular to the first moving direction, the positioning plane intersecting the receiving surface and being disposed in the centre of the length of the workpiece carrier along the first moving direction, and the contact element including at least two apertures which are disposed so that they are offset relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface, and the contact element including at least two protrusions which are also disposed so that they are offset relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A workpiece carrier for transporting a workpiece or a product in a conveyer system, comprising:
at least one workpiece base provided for accommodating at least one workpiece, wherein the workpiece base includes a receiving surface on which a workpiece is mountable, and the workpiece base further includes a base surface which is disposed at a distance from the receiving surface; and
at least one contact element, which, in the operation of the workpiece carrier, is provided to rest on a conveyer element of a conveyer system including a contact surface, wherein the contact element is connected to the base surface of the workpiece base,
wherein a first moving direction along which the workpiece carrier is movable in a conveyer system is provided for the workpiece carrier, and a positioning plane is defined which is oriented perpendicular to the contact surface and perpendicular to the first moving direction, wherein the positioning plane intersects the receiving surface and is disposed in the centre of the length of the workpiece carrier along the first moving direction, and wherein the contact element includes at least two apertures which are disposed so that they are offset relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface, and wherein the contact element includes at least two protrusions which are disposed so that they are offset relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface, wherein the protrusion of one workpiece carrier disposed closer to the workpiece base in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface is insertable into the aperture of another workpiece carrier disposed closer to the workpiece base in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface in a direction perpendicular to the positioning plane, and the protrusion of one workpiece carrier disposed closer to the contact surface in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface is insertable into the aperture of another workpiece carrier disposed closer to the contact surface in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface in a direction perpendicular to the positioning plane, and
wherein each of the apertures, at least in sections, extends on both of two opposing sides of the positioning plane.

2. The workpiece carrier according to claim 1 , wherein each of the apertures and each of the protrusions, at least in sections, extends on two opposing sides of the positioning plane so that, when a protrusion of a first workpiece carrier is inserted into an aperture of a second workpiece carrier, the first and the second workpiece carrier can be positioned relative to each other so that the distance between their positioning planes is smaller than half the length of a workpiece carrier in a direction perpendicular to the positioning plane.

3. The workpiece carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the contact element includes at least two guide members which respectively comprise at least two guide points which are disposed on the outside of the contact element in a direction perpendicular to the first moving direction, wherein connecting lines between the guide points of the guide members are oriented perpendicular to the positioning plane and spaced apart from each other in the direction parallel to the positioning plane, wherein the guide members, in the operation of the workpiece carrier, are provided to, at least temporarily or in sections, abut on a guide of a conveyer system.

4. The workpiece carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the contact element includes a first segment and a second segment which are disposed adjacent to each other and connected to each other in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface, wherein the two segments have a substantially identical shape and size, wherein the two segments are differently positioned relative to the positioning plane.

5. The workpiece carrier according to claim 4 , wherein the first segment is connected to the workpiece base, and the second segment is connected to the first segment on its side located opposite of the workpiece base, wherein the contact surface is disposed on the second segment on its side located opposite of the first segment.

6. The workpiece carrier according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of the guide members is disposed on the first segment and at least one of the guide members is disposed on the second segment, and/or a first aperture and a first protrusion are disposed on or in the first segment and a second aperture and a second protrusion are disposed on or in the second segment.

7. The workpiece carrier according to claim 4 , wherein, in a plan view of the contact surface, the outer contour of each segment on a first side substantially corresponds to the outer contour of the segment on a second side located opposite of the first side, wherein the first side is located opposite of the second side in a direction perpendicular to the positioning plane and/or the contact element, in a perpendicular plan view of the contact surface, is formed so that it is symmetric to the positioning plane and/or, in a plan view of the contact surface, each segment is formed so that it is axially symmetric about an axis which is oriented perpendicular to the positioning plane.

8. The workpiece carrier according to claim 4 , wherein, in a plan view of the contact surface, each segment is formed in a V-shape, wherein the free ends of the V respectively include a guide member on their front sides, wherein the guide members of the segments disposed adjacent to each other one above the other are flush with each other on each end of the contact element.

9. The workpiece carrier according to claim 4 , wherein, in a plan view of the contact surface, each segment, at least in sections, is formed in a V-shape, wherein an aperture is disposed between the arms of the V, and a protrusion is formed by the convex outer side of the tip of the V, wherein, in a plan view of the contact surface, each segment is formed in a V-shape, wherein the tips of the V of the two segments interconnecting its two arms are disposed on opposite sides of the positioning plane, and the two segments, in a plan view, are disposed about the positioning plane so that they are symmetric to each other.

10. The workpiece carrier according to claim 4 , wherein, in a plan view of the contact surface, each segment, at least in sections, is formed in a V-shape, wherein the outer surfaces of the segments, at least in sections, are designed to be planar on two sides located opposite of each other perpendicular to the positioning plane, wherein the two arms of the V are respectively oriented at an angle of 1° to 89° to the positioning plane.

11. The workpiece carrier according to claim 1 , wherein a spacer element is provided which is movably connected to the workpiece holder, wherein the spacer element is laterally disposed on the workpiece holder between the receiving surface and the first segment of the contact element, and the spacer element includes at least one aperture which is incorporated in its side located opposite of the workpiece holder and which extends in a direction perpendicular to the positioning plane and parallel to the receiving surface, and at least one stopper is provided which extends in a direction perpendicular to the positioning plane and parallel to the receiving surface, wherein the stopper is mounted on the side of the workpiece holder located opposite of the spacer element in a direction perpendicular to the positioning plane and wherein the stopper, at least in sections, has a size and shape which fits into the aperture of the spacer element, wherein, in a first position of the spacer element relative to the workpiece holder, the ap

Assignees

• Grob Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Boll Jürgen

Classifications

• B65G35/08

  comprising trains of unconnected load-carriers, e.g. belt sections, movable in a path, e.g. a closed path, adapted to contact each other and to be propelled by means arranged to engage each load-carrier in turn · CPC title

• B65G35/06

  comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by any one of a series of traction elements spaced along the path (effecting drive at two or more points spaced along the length of an endless conveyor B65G23/32) · CPC title

• F16B11/008

  of tubular elements or rods in coaxial engagement · CPC title

• B65G2201/0217

  Elongated · CPC title

• B65G47/22

  Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors (during feeding B65G47/14) · CPC title